Community

West Wales woodlands win awards

Published

10 years ago

July 8, 2015

Tom Sinclair

Huw Denman: With Mr and Mrs
Holding.

WOODLANDS in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire have won gold and silver respectively in the UK’s premier competition for Silviculture – the growing of trees for timber or other crops.

Glynaeron and Ty Rhyg woods (part of Coed Preseli) at Crymych, Pembrokeshire, took gold in Royal Forestry Society’s Excellence in Forestry Silviculture Award 2015 with Penrhiwiar, Cefn Gwenffrwd & Cwm Cae’r Odyn (part of Bryn Arau Duon), owned by Ilchester Estates taking Silver.

The RFS Excellence in Forestry Awards rotate around England, Wales and Northern Ireland and this was the first year they had been held in Wales.

Glynaeron and Ty Rhyg are owned by Robert and Jill Holding. Their woodlands delighted judges who said: “This two-part entry was a very clear winner, scoring highly on all judging criteria. It was apparent that all aspects affecting the sustainable productivity of the site, for landscape enhancement, wildlife and archaeological conservation, soil and water protection, as well as timber production and income generation, had been addressed… It is an excellent example of the benefits to be gained from the practical implementation of continuous cover forestry principles.”

The Holdings said: “The forest is very important to us. We visit it as often as we can, sometimes several times a week and particularly get great pleasure from the stands managed under continuous cover. Not only are the continuous cover stands profitable, but they also feel like a real forest with big trees and luxuriant understory of vegetation and natural regeneration which provides habitat for woodland birds and other species. Selective felling every four years gives us a regular income from the forest and allows enough light to encourage the trees and natural regeneration to respond and grow. Being in Tŷ Rhyg on a sunny day sometimes feels like being in an ‘old growth’ Sitka forest in Oregon or natural spruce forest in central Europe. We get great pleasure from the fact that visitors like to walk in our woods and that birdwatchers come especially for the woodland birds and report them on the Pembrokeshire Bird Blog, and this is in a productive commercial forest.”

Of Penrhiwiar, Cefn Gwenffrwd & Cwm Cae’r Odyn (part of Bryn Arau Duon), the judges said: “We were impressed that within landscape constraints a very well planned sequence of forest operations was in progress designed to maximise financial returns while maintaining diversity of native ground flora within ancient woodland sites, and providing a venue of high quality for commercial and sporting events. Record keeping and monitoring were demonstrated to be of a very high standard while forest product marketing ensured that the best prices were obtained for all outputs from the forest, including large diameter timber which is mostly sold and used locally.”

Other Excellence in Forestry Gold Awards went to Caia Community Woods in Wrexham; the Llewesog Estate in Denbigh; Conwy’s Bron Haul Woodland; and Warren Woods in Bodfari.

Community

Annual charity carol service raises funds for good causes

Published

4 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Tom Sinclair

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service held its annual Charity Carol Service on Wednesday (Dec 10) at Ebeneser Baptist Chapel in Crymych.

The event brought together members of the local community alongside Fire Service staff for an evening of carols, readings and festive refreshments, marking the Christmas season in a warm and inclusive atmosphere.

This year’s service supported two important charities — the Fire Fighters Charity and Cancer Research Wales — with all proceeds going directly towards their ongoing work.

A total of £597 was raised on the night, which will be shared equally between the two charities.

The Service thanked the congregation at Ebeneser Baptist Chapel for hosting the event, as well as everyone who gave their time, support and generosity to make the evening such a success.

Community

3 Amigos toy bike run under way across Pembrokeshire

Published

5 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Castle Inn fun runners back festive charity event

THE ANNUAL 3 Amigos Christmas toy bike run is under way this afternoon (Saturday), with hundreds of motorcyclists setting off from Pembroke to raise funds for children’s services.

Riders gathered at The Commons car park in Pembroke from around midday before departing shortly after 1:00pm. The festive convoy is travelling along its traditional route, taking in Pembroke Dock and continuing through parts of the county including Neyland, Milford Haven and Haverfordwest.

The event is organised by the 3 Amigos and Dollies Motorcycle Group and has become a much-anticipated Christmas tradition in west Wales, with toys and donations collected for children receiving care within the Hywel Dda University Health Board area.

Also supporting the event are fun runners from the Castle Inn in Pembroke, who have been fundraising in aid of the 3 Amigos. The group are pictured alongside participants from today’s run.

The 3 Amigos have been raising funds for children’s wards and health charities for more than twenty-five years, with their Easter and Christmas events continuing to make a positive difference to young patients and their families.

Organisers have thanked the public for their support and asked road users to be mindful of the large convoy as it passes through towns and villages this afternoon.

Photo caption:
Festive fundraising: Fun runners from the Castle Inn, Pembroke, pictured supporting the 3 Amigos Christmas toy bike run (Pic: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

Community

Special delivery of thanks as MP visits Haverfordwest sorting office

Published

1 day ago

December 12, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Christmas cheer for posties working through the festive rush

A CHRISTMAS message of thanks was delivered in person this week as Preseli Pembrokeshire MP Henry Tufnell paid a visit to Royal Mail staff at Haverfordwest Sorting Office.

The MP met postal workers during one of the busiest periods of the year, praising staff for their hard work in ensuring cards, parcels and gifts reach homes across Pembrokeshire in the run-up to Christmas.

Mr Tufnell said postal workers were going “above and beyond” throughout the year, but particularly during the festive period when demand is at its highest and delivery rounds are often made in challenging weather conditions.

He described postal staff as “unsung heroes”, highlighting their role in keeping communities connected and helping families stay in touch at a time when it matters most.

Speaking after the visit, Mr Tufnell said: “Our posties play a vital role in our community, and at Christmas that importance is felt more than ever. They work incredibly hard to make sure gifts and cards from loved ones arrive safely and on time.”

Staff at the Haverfordwest site were pictured alongside the MP, with some embracing the festive spirit in Christmas jumpers and seasonal outfits while continuing their daily work.

The MP also extended his thanks to postal workers across the whole of Pembrokeshire, acknowledging the dedication required to keep services running smoothly during the seasonal rush.

Royal Mail experiences its highest parcel volumes in December, with thousands of additional items passing through local sorting offices each day as Christmas approaches.

Delivering Christmas cheer: Henry Tufnell MP with staff at Haverfordwest Sorting Office during a festive visit (Pic: Facebook).